


Survival Skills After Midnight

by BorrowedBlueBox



Series: Home Is Where My Family Is [17]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Buried Alive, Gen, Happy Ending, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Rated because of trigger, Why Did I Write This?, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 00:12:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3875191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BorrowedBlueBox/pseuds/BorrowedBlueBox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mako and Keegan have a CSI marathon resulting in Keegan developing a fear of being buried alive. After having a nightmare, Keegan and Raleigh learn how to deal with her fear, should it ever happen.</p><p>*Please read the tags and trigger warnings!*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival Skills After Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> **Trigger warning: Keegan has a big fear of being buried alive. In this story there are details about it and details about how to get out of it in the event that you are buried alive. If this could upset you, please don't read!** 
> 
> I was writing this as a cute Mako and Keegan fic and then it mutated and turned into this. I'm not sorry? But I kind of am, at the same time? I'm just really confused?
> 
> Beta’d, however, if you see any mistakes please let me know and I’ll fix them right away.
> 
> Constructive criticism is accepted but please no negativity. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Pacific Rim or CSI. The only thing I own is a computer, internet connection, insomnia, and an account.

“I’m not going to have nightmares, Aunt Mako. I promise. Can we please have a CSI marathon?” Keegan pouted, pulling out her puppy dog eyes for extra measure.

Mako was watching Keegan for the day due to it being a school day off for Keegan but both Raleigh and Chuck had school and work. Mako and Keegan had gone shopping earlier and had lunch but neither one wanted to leave the house again and a channel on Mako’s TV was holding a marathon of CSI episodes. Keegan really wanted to watch it. Mako didn’t have anything against CSI, she just was afraid Keegan might get nightmares.

“You know those eyes don’t work on me.” Mako replied as she turned CSI on, it was the last five minutes but another one was starting after it.

Keegan hummed and curled into Mako, being careful not to knock over the popcorn next to them on Mako’s bed.

“How do you think the dead body ended up in the tree?” Keegan spoke up during a commercial break. The episode had the CSI team investigating how a dead man ended up in a tree.

“Hmm. I’m not sure.” Mako spoke before Keegan began telling Mako her theory.

“I told you, something was off with him!” Keegan exclaimed as one episode ended, revealing the murderer at the very end.

“Yes, five minutes after we met him, you said he was suspicious.” Mako smiled and ruffled Keegan’s auburn hair.

“I really like Doc Robbins. I want to be like him when I grow up. Him and Max from Hawaii Five-0.” Keegan said beaming as the show’s medical examiner began his autopsy in an episode.

“You’ll be a great medical examiner, Keegan. Remember, you can do anything you want if you work hard enough to accomplish your dreams. I did it and you can do it as well, I believe in you.” Mako assured her niece.

“Thank you, Aunt Mako.” Keegan said, and then perked up when the doctor found an object in the victim’s throat.

“I wonder what that is! They need to take it to the lab!” Keegan spoke as she grew more excited and entertained with the episode.

“If you have nightmares, don’t tell your parents it was me who let you watch this.” Mako said later during an episode where the medical examiner had to cut open the victim’s skull.

“I know. We blame it on Newt.” Keegan replied and shoved popcorn into her mouth, eyes glued to the screen.

Mako turned her head away from the TV, she didn’t quite understand how Keegan was able to eat and watch that but it made her happy and it didn’t hurt anyone else so she had no right to judge.

“Scary part is over, Aunt Mako.” Keegan spoke up after a few minutes and Mako tentatively turned her head to see the team looking at the collected evidence. Mako smiled and patted Keegan’s head, grabbing a handful of popcorn to eat.

The two watched four and a half episodes before Raleigh came to pick Keegan up.

“I have to know who killed her!” Keegan said as she refused to leave the bed, pausing the TV. Raleigh sighed and Mako shook her head from where she’d curled up with Keegan again on the bed.

“Okay fine. If you have nightmares though and Papa asks---“ Raleigh began before being cut off by Keegan.

“I blame it on Newt. I know, now shh.” Keegan interrupted and put a finger to her lips and then patted the spot on the bed next to her.

Raleigh sighed again and made himself comfortable, he tuned the show out, exhausted from work and realizing how soft Mako’s bed was.

“I think we should let him sleep.” Keegan said when she and Mako noticed Raleigh had fallen asleep.

“Besides, another episode is starting and the description looks good!” Keegan added excitedly.

“He does look tired. Fine, but only one more episode, then we wake him up.” Mako said.

Four episodes later and Raleigh woke to the sound of Keegan yelling. He shot up and took in his surroundings. He wasn’t in his bed and this certainly wasn’t his room, also the sheets smelled like Mako.

“How long did I sleep?” Raleigh asked the two girls who were complaining about cliff hangers and the marathon ending.

“You don’t do a cliff hanger on a marathon!” Keegan fumed and shook her fist at the TV.

“I agree. It’s cruel. We don’t know if he’s dead or alive.” Mako said and shook her head.

“It’s like that experiment with the cat and the physicist with the name I can’t pronounce.” Keegan replied.

“Schrodinger’s cat, Erwin Schrodinger, yes I can see that.” Mako agreed, nodding her head.

“Since I didn’t get an answer the first time around, I’m gonna go for two and ask again.” Raleigh drawled in a sleep voice.

“How long did I sleep?” Raleigh repeated looking at his daughter and his Jaeger copilot.

“Only four episodes.” Keegan responded casually as Mako turned the TV off.

“Oh.” Raleigh spoke quietly and then leapt off the bed.

“Wait, four hours?! Keegan, we gotta get home.” Raleigh said as he took in the now darkening sky outside Mako’s window.

“But why? Papa gets to stay out late.” Keegan pouting. Mako laughed quietly behind her hand and rose out the bed.

“Papa’s working on a project, he has special permission to stay out. You have school tomorrow and need to be in bed in an hour. I’ve still gotta feed you, get your bag ready for tomorrow, you gotta have a bath. Keegs, you can spend more time with Mako tomorrow when she picks you up after school.” Raleigh explained to his daughter. Keegan sighed and agreed with her father.

“We’ll watch the conclusion to this cliff hanger tomorrow. We’ll figure out if Nick makes it out of the box alive.” Mako promised Keegan.

Once Raleigh had managed to get Keegan and the bags of things Mako had bought for Keegan in an attempt to spoil the six year old, out of his copilot’s home and into the car, it was thirty minutes later.

“Looks like you’re going to go to bed late, no telling Papa. Understand?” Raleigh asked his daughter while she was telling him about her day.

“Okay. Now, where was I? Oh yes, shifty man. I knew he seemed shifty and said so and guess what Daddy?” Keegan carried on, not stopping to give Raleigh time to answer her rhetorical question.

“I was right! He was the killer!” Keegan continued.

“Good job, Keegs.” Raleigh said although he doubted his daughter heard him seeing as she was recounting another episode.

Raleigh had managed to get Keegan into bed not too late and collapsed in his bed once she’d fallen asleep. Raleigh was exhausted and Chuck had sent him a text saying he wouldn’t be home before three in the morning, his project’s deadline was five in the morning and Chuck was adding finishing touches to it. Raleigh decided to sleep, he knew he’d wake up when Chuck got home but he didn’t care, after the War, Raleigh refused to take sleep for granted.

Raleigh felt the bed dip behind him a bit, he looked at the clock and saw that it was only half past midnight.

“Hey babe, you’re home early.” He rasped in his sleep voice.

“Daddy?” Came a soft voice followed by a sniffle.

“Keegan?” Raleigh turned over, facing his daughter who was shaking and holding onto her stuffed penguin and her Belle plush.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you okay?” Raleigh asked, fully alert now, pulling his daughter into his arms. The moment his arms wrapped around full around his daughter, she began sobbing.

“I had a nightmare.” She managed to get out between sobs.

Raleigh sighed quietly. He would text Mako and tell her that they could only watch the conclusion episode and then they would have to watch a different show, one less scary.

“Honey, it’s okay. You’re okay, no one’s going to hurt you.” Raleigh comforted his daughter.

“I know but still.” She whimpered.

“Do you see why we don’t want you to watch these shows?” Raleigh asked his daughter carefully, not wanting to upset her more.

“It’s not from that. Well it is, but not.” Keegan said and raised her head to look at Raleigh.

“What do you mean, baby girl?” He asked, wiping the tears from his daughter’s face.

“The only thing that bothered me was when the CSI, Nick, was buried alive. When I watched the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie with Newt, I got scared too because of the graveyards. Daddy, what if I get buried alive?” Keegan cried and Raleigh exhaled pulling his daughter into his arms.

“It’s okay, you’re safe with me. Okay? You’re not going to get buried alive. You don’t have to worry, baby girl.” He said and held his daughter tightly to him, blinking back his own tears as she continued crying.

“But what if I do?” She said in a small voice filled with sadness.

Raleigh’s heart broke, he knew anxiety, understood that logic doesn’t always work to fight it off. It was like his fear of drowning, he knew how to swim but still feared that something could happen making it impossible for him to swim causing him to drown. Herc had a fear of rides requiring him to be strapped in with a bar, such as roller coasters, thanks to Hong Kong. Chuck didn’t like small confined places that reminded him of escape pods or movies, stories, or plays with bombs in them. He knew that simply telling his daughter that it wouldn’t happen, would do nothing to fix it. He only knew of one way to help.

“Sit there, I’ll be back in a flash.” Raleigh said as he got up from the bed, turning the bedside lamp on as he walked away from the bed. He caught sight of Max lying at the end of the bed, sleeping, having followed Keegan in most likely.

“No, don’t leave me. Please.” She pleaded, beginning to cry again.

“I’m not, I’m grabbing my computer, it’s right here.” Raleigh explained, picking his laptop up off the desk where Chuck and Raleigh kept their laptops. He made his way back to his daughter, turning his computer on and starting it up.

He climbed in, Keegan climbing into his lap immediately and drying her eyes on his sleep shirt.

“What are we doing?” She asked curious, lip still quivering and clutching her plushes tighter to her.

“We are looking up what to do if you’re buried alive.” Raleigh said as he typed his question into the Google search bar. Keegan nodded, staying silent and burrowing in Raleigh’s grip more.

Links showed up and he clicked a few, skimming them not finding anything that he wanted. Finally he stumbled upon a blog with a step by step guide on what to do. Perfect, Raleigh thought. 

“Here we go, Keegs. Let’s see what we’re supposed to do in the event we’re buried alive.” Raleigh said as his daughter turned to face the screen.

“First step, don’t waste oxygen. Okay, that makes sense.” Raleigh read, going through the post. Keegan silently listening and memorizing everything Raleigh says.

“Can you show me how to do that knot thing?” Keegan asked quietly, uncertain if she was asking an appropriate question. Referring to step three where you use your shirt to tie around your head to keep the dirt out.

Raleigh nodded. If they were going to learn, they might as well make sure they truly learned what they read.

“Step three, cross your arms over your chest, holding onto your shoulders with your hands, and pull the shirt off upward. Tie it in a knot above your head. This will prevent you from suffocating when the dirt falls on your face.” Raleigh read out loud, studying the reference picture before moving Keegan off his lap and to his side, setting the laptop in front of her.

Raleigh crossed his arms over his chest, held onto his shoulders and pulled his sleep shirt upward. He tied the hem of his shirt in a knot above his head, his collar at his neck, effectively covering his head.

“Did I do it right?” Raleigh asked, voice muffled by his shirt.

“I’m checking.” Keegan said and studied her father and the picture.

“Yes, you did it correctly, Daddy.” Keegan said.

“Great.” Raleigh asked and Keegan stood up, small fingers helping Raleigh untie the knot.

Raleigh took in a huge breath of air once the shirt was lowered. 

“Can I do it too?” Keegan asked quietly and uncertain if she was still asking appropriate questions. Raleigh nodded and got up to grab an extra shirt for her, from a drawer, because she was wearing a nightgown. Raleigh handed his daughter one of Chuck’s smaller shirts and she slipped it on over her nightgown.

“You sure you want to do this?” Raleigh asked, double checking before they moved on.

“Yes. I want to know that I can do this.” Keegan said with determination.

“Okay, I’m here to help. If you want to stop or you get scared, let me know. Understand?” Raleigh replied and Keegan nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. Keegan followed the steps, saying them out loud after having memorizing them. After two unsuccessful tries, she successfully tied the shirt above her head on her third try.

“Is this right, Daddy?” She asked loudly to avoid the shirt from muffling her voice.

“It’s perfect. Good job, Keegs.” Raleigh approved, moving his arms up to untie the knot above her head.

“I’m so proud of you. You did great. I’ll print this out so you can memorize it.” Raleigh told his daughter before she could ask him to print the post out.

“Thank you, Daddy. Thank you for helping me.” She said as he got up to turn on the printer and put the laptop away once it printed the page. He set the paper on his laptop and made his way back to his bed where his daughter was sitting in the middle of the mattress.

“You’re welcome, baby girl. I hope that helped. Did it help?” He asked, pulling her into his arms as he laid down.

“Yes, it helped. I think I can sleep now without being afraid. Can I sleep in here though, just in case?” Keegan yawned and clutched Raleigh’s shirt in one fist as he pulled the covers up over the two.

“Of course, honey. Go to sleep, I’ll be here to protect you.” He said, pressing a kiss to his daughter’s head as she began to fall back asleep. For a few minutes, he watched her sleep. He watched the rise and fall of her chest signifying she was breathing, noticing that she was still wearing Chuck’s shirt.

Eventually sleep won out and he found himself falling asleep.

Raleigh was woken up a few hours later when the bed dipped again, more this time. He opened his eyes and saw his husband kneeling on the bed in front of him and Keegan. He looked exhausted, he had swapped his jeans for flannel sweatpants not bothering to change his green Henley.

“Miss me that much, eh? You gotta get our daughter to cuddle with you?” Chuck teased the best he could do with how exhausted he was.

Raleigh shook his head, careful not to wake their daughter as Chuck curled up on her other side and laced his fingers with Raleigh’s resting on the Alaskan’s side.

“She had a nightmare. She has a fear of being buried alive. She was too afraid to go back to sleep. You know how anxiety is so we decided to look up what to do if buried alive. She fell right asleep and has been calm since.” Raleigh whispered, Keegan was usually a deep sleeper but he didn’t want to risk waking her up.

Chuck frowned and bent down to kiss his daughter’s head. 

“CSI?” Chuck guessed, Raleigh nodded his head and opened his mouth to add that it was other things as well. Chuck sensed that Raleigh was going to add more so he cut him off, not wanting to wake their daughter.

“Tell me about it in the morning? That way we don’t disturb her, yeah?” Chuck asked.

Raleigh nodded and Chuck kissed him goodnight. The two parents settled in and began to drift off, clutching each other and their daughter tightly.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully I didn't scar anyone for life. If you're interested in the post that Raleigh finds, you can find it on my tumblr. I reblog it on tumblr often because you never know and I've found it to be very educational and mentally helpful. It's worth looking at, as long as it won't scar you.
> 
> In other news, I have officially creeped out my mother. I never thought that would happen. I'm kind of proud. 
> 
> AO3 isn't letting me link it and it's 8 AM and I need to sleep so old fashion linking. Here's the link: http://thefandomshavethetardis.tumblr.com/post/118106304681/how-to-escape-after-being-buried-alive-in-a
> 
> Thank you as always for the support!


End file.
